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Before you buy a used BMW Serie 6 (E63/E64).

2003–2010 · Petrol / Diesel · 3 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

BMW Serie 6 (E63/E64), real photo of this generation
Rudolf Stricker · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 3 of its engines.

630i / 645i / 650i

Petrol

We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.

635d (M57)

Diesel

  • Intake swirl flaps (M57)Intake
    Period mentioned
    1998–2010
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

    Applies if: Only if the intake manifold has swirl flaps; some versions do not. Confirm at a garage.

M6 (S85, 5.0 V10)

Petrol

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the BMW Serie 6 (E63/E64)
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
630i / 645i / 650iPetrolFewest documented11 with conditions1
635d (M57)Diesel22 with conditions1
M6 (S85, 5.0 V10)Petrol21 with conditions0

According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 630i / 645i / 650i (Petrol).

By fuel, all versions have the same number of documented faults.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official BMW dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Recall: positive battery cable connectionElectrical system

Engines: 630i / 645i / 650i (Petrol) · 635d (M57) (Diesel)

How to check it: Check VIN; inspect fasteners, replace cover and seal.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 3 checked

Engine (rod bearings)

  • Look out for: Little prior warning; once wear is advanced, a metallic rod knock that rises with revs. On the S65 and S85, also jerking and limp mode from failing throttle actuators.

    Ask them to check: Oil analysis and bearing replacement history. Indicative preventive replacement: S54 around 130,000–160,000 km, S65 around 100,000–130,000 km and S85 around 80,000–110,000 km.

Automatic gearbox

  • Look out for: Oil drips or dampness by the electrical connector on the side of the pan, a bump on the downshift just before stopping, harsh or flared shifts (especially 3rd-4th and 4th-5th under throttle) and a limp mode that clears after restarting.

    Ask them to check: At a garage: read the gearbox codes, check the fluid level with the official procedure (correct temperature and engine running) and look for a real leak at the sleeve and pan gasket. After a fluid or parts change, the garage should reset adaptations. If limp mode persists, check solenoids and valve body before replacing the gearbox.

Intake

  • Look out for: Usually none until it fails. A common early warning: oil seeping around the flap spindles on top of the engine. If a flap or its screw comes loose and enters a cylinder: sudden heavy knocking, loss of power, smoke and possible turbo damage as well.

    Ask them to check: At a garage: confirm whether the manifold has swirl flaps (some versions do not), look for oil around the spindles and play in the flaps, and check the history for earlier replacement or removal. With any new metallic knocking, stop the engine and do not restart it.

OBD codes worth looking for

If they let you read the fault memory with an OBD reader, these are the codes mentioned in this model's sheets:

P0700P0730

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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